ITRM990495A1 - ADAPTER FOR MOBILE PHONES THAT ALLOWS TO ACCOMMODATE AND ELECTRONICALLY SWITCH TWO OR MORE CARDS <SIM <. - Google Patents

Abstract

Adapter/switch realized in thin thickness so as to allow primarily the lodging and the connection for two or more SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards on a huge number of GSM cellular phones. Moreover, thanks to an appropriate switching microchip system, it allows the enabling one or another of the cards alternatively, so that the user, through an easy manoeuvre of phone keys, can have access at any time to all services and lines, at his own will and convenience, bearing in mind the different rates applicable. <IMAGE>

Description

Description of the industrial invention entitled: "Mobile phone adapter that allows you to electronically house and switch two or more" SIM "cards"

Summary

Adapter / switch made with a thin thickness such as to allow as a priority the housing and connection of two or more "SIM" modules on a large number of GSM mobile radio equipment models as well as, through a special microprocessor switching system, the alternatively activation of one or the other module, in order to allow the User, with a simple maneuver from the telephone keypad, to access at any time the service and the line that he deems most convenient, also in view of the different rates applied.

Premise

The mobile telephony operators offer services with highly differentiated tariffs according to types of users and, within these, on an hourly, territorial basis and by belonging to the number called to the fixed networks or to one or the other of the mobile networks: it follows that the Shipper able to use, depending on the circumstances, lines with different tariff profiles and / or services of different Operators can realize considerable savings.

The identification of the line reserved for the User, and with it the enabling of the latter to access the Operator's services, is carried out through the microprocessor module (or card) "SIM" (Subscriber Identity Module), which is issued by the Operator and inserted in the User's mobile radio equipment.

At present, mobile phones allow only one "SIM" card to be housed, while mobile network operators make available only single line "SIM".

The User wishing to take advantage of the opportunities offered by tariff differentiation by switching the device from one service to another is therefore forced to physically replace the «SIM»; this operation is generally inconvenient, laborious and in practice discourages the User: usually it is necessary to remove the battery, the card locking devices, extract the second "SIM" card from the place where it is usually stored, proceed with the exchange and finally put it away carefully the removed card.

The innovations which form the subject of the present invention have the purpose of eliminating the above-mentioned drawbacks in the main and of allowing the simultaneous housing of two (or more) "SIM" cards on the same device, also allowing their use to be switched with very simple operations from the phone keypad itself.

The invention consists of two parts physically and electrically connected by a printed circuit in flexible material:

1. An interface card functional to ensure contact of the invention with the mobile radio device: intended to be housed in the "SIM" locking device, it faithfully reproduces its shape and dimensions.

It bears:

• electrical contacts towards the telephone set (in accordance with ISO / IEC 7816-2) and possibly, in whole or in part (as in fig. 2)

• the electronic components necessary for the operation of the invention.

Said components can alternatively be wholly or partially housed on any of the other elements making up the invention, without this having any influence on its nature or operation, making trivial changes to the circuitry (figs. 1 and 3)

2. A thin frame with two (or more) slots for housing the "SIM" modules: it bears the electrical contacts for the individual cards and the locking devices, designed to keep the cards in position to ensure continuity and effectiveness of the electrical contact.

The dimensions of the frame are such as to allow it to be inserted inside the battery compartment, or under the battery in mobile phones where the battery is "visible"; in that case.

it may be necessary to make a groove about 1 mm deep in the plastic of the lower battery shell.

Operation diagram

Operation of two "SIMs" in parallel without artifice on the same receiver-transmitting apparatus is made impossible by the occurrence of conflicts on the (bidirectional) I / O port of the microprocessors of the two cards: it is therefore necessary to disable the 'out of service' module so that does not interfere with the operation of the currently active card.

This objective is achieved by interrupting on the module to be deactivated even only one of the signals necessary for operation: they are the I / O, RESET or CLOCK signals that the mobile radio device exchanges with the microprocessor mounted on the "SIM" module.

The interruption of the electrical contact between the transceiver device and the card even on only one of the channels that carries one of said fundamental signals inhibits all the functions of the "SIM" module, disabling it and thus avoiding the aforementioned interference with the active module ; this interruption is effective on all «SIM» cards. The remaining contacts are instead connected in parallel.

The invention therefore allows one or the other "SIM" card to be activated alternately by intercepting and electronically switching one (at least) of the signals necessary for operation: since switching from one card to another can only take place by switching the device off and on again, the control logic of the invention exploits the effect of this maneuver to start the switching procedure.

When the phone is turned off, the power supply voltage supplied by the device to the "SIM" module (Vcc) is zero: when the phone is switched on, it goes to the nominal value.

In the invention, therefore, each time the telephone is switched on, a microprocessor equipped with a permanent memory, powered by the same Vcc, performs the following operations:

It detects the last configuration stored in the permanent memory

• It intercepts the signal coming from the mobile radio device

• Switches by sending the signal to the module to be activated. It stores the new configuration.

Description of the construction elements

The embodiment drawing of the invention is shown in fig. 1; it consists of the following parts: 1) Interface card (see fio 2)

It is the functional part of the invention to ensure contact of the invention with the mobile radio device: intended to be housed in the locking device of the «SIM», it faithfully reproduces its shape and dimensions (in compliance with the ISO / IEC 7816-2 standard).

It is made using a rigid printed circuit (fiberglass or similar) of adequate thickness, or a flexible rigid coupling. It bears:

• electrical contacts towards the telephone set (made in compliance with the ISO / IEC 7816-2 standard), e

• optionally, the electronic components necessary for the operation of the invention (see fig. 2: in this case, since the thickness of the plastic casing of the processor is greater than that prescribed for the SIM module, in order to avoid mechanical interference with the device for housing and locking the SIM module on the mobile radio, the processor can be mounted naked, or, for simplicity, off-center with respect to the locking device and in any case in such a way as to minimize the projection).

2) SIM module housing frame (fig. 3)

It is made by overlapping

(a) a thin fiberglass printed circuit (fig. 3.a), bearing

• the electrical connections and contacts to the «SIM» modules; the contacts can be made either by means of golden beryllium copper foils welded on the printed circuit, or by electrodeposition on the same printed circuit (in this case the flexibility of the contact is obtained by appropriately shaping the fiberglass base around the contact itself to obtain "nails "flexible);

• the microprocessor that allows to operate the previously described switching (if not already mounted on the interface card);

(b) a frame in fiberglass, ABS or other compatible material, with a thickness equal to that of the standard «SIM» module, and suitably shaped to house the cards so as to obtain centering on the contacts (fig 3.b).

(c) A cover in plastic material with high resistance and elasticity characteristics, shaped in such a way as to create a "band" that keeps the «SIM» cards pressed on the contacts (fig. 3.c).

The three elements are glued and pressed together according to a procedure known to the manufacturers of printed circuits to create a structure with an overall thickness of just over a millimeter, which can be easily placed in almost any mobile phone, providing, if necessary, a small compartment in the plastic. of the lower shell of the battery or simply in the compartment housing the battery itself.

On! printed circuit, the only signal selected for switching is sent separately to one or the other card by means of separate electrical connections, while the remaining homologous contacts of the "SIM" in parallel are connected in parallel.

3) Flexible connector

The mechanical and electrical connection of the two parts described is made through a printed circuit made of material with high resistance and flexibility properties (polyimide or the like), of negligible thickness with respect to the construction tolerances of the cellular telephone to which the invention is applied.

The shape and length of the flexible connector may differ in the application of the invention to different models of mobile radio apparatus; this in relation to the relative position and orientation that the interface card and the SIM-holder frame assume once placed in the respective position.

This depends on the one hand on the orientation and position of the "SIM" locking device on the mobile radio, on the other hand on the shape and positioning of the battery, with consequent influence on the position and orientation of the compartment intended to house the SIM-holder frame.

In practice there may be flexible hoses of different lengths and with shapes a: T, "L" and "U" as in figure 4, without it changing the substance of the invention in the slightest, indeed contributing to the more general applicability of the invention to most of the apparatuses mobile radios on the market.

Claims

1. Mobile phone adapter / switch with microprocessor, capable of housing and electronically switching two or more "SIM" modules.

2. Adapter / switch as described above, made on a rigid / flexible printed circuit of such thickness as to allow it to be inserted in the battery compartment, or in a special compartment under the battery.

3. Thin frame for housing "SIM" modules equipped with contacts made by electrodeposition, where the elasticity of the contact is obtained by milling or other cutting process of the printed circuit board in lobes of suitable shape.

4. Thin frame for housing «SIM» modules with contacts made of beryllium copper, phosphor bronze or similar sheets, soldered directly on the printed circuit. 5. Thin frame for housing "SIM" modules equipped with an upper sheath in plastic material suitable for locking the card in its housing so that it exerts adequate pressure on the contacts.

Claims (5)

relative orientation that the interface card and the SIM-holder frame assume once placed in their respective position. This depends on the one hand on the orientation and position of the "SIM" locking device on the mobile radio, on the other hand on the shape and positioning of the battery, with consequent influence on the position and orientation of the compartment intended to house the SIM holder frame. In practice there may be flexible hoses of different lengths and with shapes a: T, "L" and "U" as in figure 4, without it changing the substance of the invention in the slightest, indeed contributing to the more general applicability of the invention to most of the apparatuses mobile radios on the market. Claims 1. Mobile phone adapter / switch with microprocessor, capable of housing and electronically switching two or more "SIM" modules. 2. Adapter / switch as described above, made on a rigid / flexible printed circuit of such thickness as to allow it to be reinserted in the battery compartment, or in a special compartment under the battery. 3. Thin frame for housing "SIM" modules equipped with contacts made by electrodeposition, where the elasticity of the contact is obtained by milling or other cutting process of the printed circuit board in lobes of suitable shape. 4. Thin frame for housing "SIM" modules with contacts made of beryllium copper, phosphor bronze or similar sheets, soldered directly on the printed circuit board, 5. Thin sheet for housing «SIM» modules equipped with an upper sheath in plastic material suitable for blocking the card in its housing so that it exerts adequate pressure on the contacts.